Vehicle body mounting



New. 2%, 1929. F. JOHNSTON VEHICLE BODY MOUNTING Filed Dec. 15, 1927 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY:

Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES roan JOHNSTON, or DALLAS, TEXAS VEHICLE BODY MOUNTING Application filed December 15, 1927. Serial No. 240,286.

This invention is a novel improvement in vehicle body mountings particularly adapted for use in connection with body mountings I for automobiles and the like.

The principalobjects of the invention are to provide a frictionless universal rocking support for an automobile body on its chassis at its approximate center of gravity only; to

eliminate jolting and jarring of the body while the vehicle is in motion, and to insure as easy riding in the rear seat as in the front; to give the sensation of flying rather than riding, the actual location ofthe mounting to be determined by the size and type of car body is to be installed on the chassis.

In brief the body is constructed on a separate frame from the chassis, and the body rests upon the plate which forms the top or moving part of the mounting.

A car equipped with this mounting will be free from the jolt and jar of the road, as the motor and all the moving parts of the car will be fastened to and supported upon the frame of the chassis, and the only weight on the upper or body frame willbe the body itself. I

The point upon which the mounting which supports the body is fastened to the frame of the chassis will be very close to the center of the body, and the jolting of-the chassis due I to irregularities of the road would naturally be least at that point. 7

By establishing the mounting at apoint almost in the center of the length 'of the car and exactly in the center as to width,.I have selected the point in the chassis which is least afiected by irregularities of the road. This will cause but slight movement of the body even upon rough roads, and will cause little 4 or no discomfort to the persons riding in the rear seat of the body. Other advantages of my body mounting are, that the life of the body will be inestimably lengthened; that the use of-solidtires is made possible because of the fact that the shock from same will have little effect upon the body of the car and 'that I speed with equal comfortto the driver and t e occupants of the rear seat.

- frames 1.

be formed-integral with plate 5. or may =constitute tongues; struck-up: from pl I, I may be formed separately andse ured to plate a car equipped with my mounting should.be, able to travel the roughest roads at any-given I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others t6 adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the vehiclecshowing themounting ping the adjacent portions of the chassis and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the top plate of the mounting partly broken away.

As shown in the drawing, the side frames' 1 of the vehicle chassis are conventionally shown attached to the front and rear axles 2 and 3 by means of the usual semi-elliptic springs 4 or the like, the-front and rear axles 2 and 3 carrying the usual front and rear wheels 2 and 3?, The side frames 1 .of the chassis are connected at their front and rear ends'by transverse frame members 1 and '1" lying respectively in the planes of the adjacent portions of the side frames 1; also other cross members 1 may connect the side Extending between and suitably secured to 'the side frames 1 of the chassis at its approxi-.

mate center is a plate 5, preferably of metal, having at its center an upwardly bulged partially spherical portion 5 coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the chassis, said portion 5 having a perforation at its center for the reception of a. bolt as hereinafter explained. Concentric with the spherical portion 5, and evenly spaced upon a pitchcircle of diameter slightly larger than the extentof the spherical portion 5 are a series of cups 5 (six teen being shown in Fig.2) adapted to receive the lower ends of coil springs, "hereinafter described, to center the springs and pre-- I vent lateral movement thereof. Cups 5 may ate 5, or

axial with the longitudinal axis thereof, said opening being of somewhat larger diameter than the overall diameter of the pitch circle of cups 5, openin 6 being adapted to receive 'a pan-shape member 7 coacting with plate 5. I

Plate 7 has a centrally downwardly bulged partially spherical portion 7 adapted to seat upon the spherical portion 5 of plate 5, said portion 7 also having a perforation at its center for the purpose hereinafter described. Upon the lower side of plate 7 opposite each of the cups 5 are cups 7 similarly formed to cups 5, and adapted to receive and properly space the upper ends of the coil springs hereinafter described. Plate 7 exterior to the cups 7 is flanged downwardly as at 7' and adapted to be fitted into the opening 6" in body 6 from the lower side of the body. The lower portion of flange 7 is flanged outwardly as at 7 and'may be bolted or otherwise secured to the floor boards 6, of the body, whereby the majorportion of pan-shaped member 7 is contained entirely within the vehicle body as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Between the sets of cups 5 and 7 are placed coil springs 8, the size strength and number of springs used bein governed by the size and type of the vehicle body. Springs 8 moreover act as supporting-units at the outer portions of the members 5 and 7 and serve to maintain the body normally paral lel with the chassis while permitting the spherical portion 7 'of member 7 to roll or rock universally and without friction upon the spherical portion 5 of plate 5. Springs 8 also act as shock absorbers between the ve hicle body and chassis frames 1.

Plate 7 is centered on plate 5 by means of a bolt 9 passing through the perforations at the centers of portions 5, 7 Preferably 'a coil spring 10 is inserted between the member 7 and the head of bolt 9 above the member 7, a cup washer 10 being employed, as shown in Fig. I; said spring 10 yieldably maintaining the centers of the portions 7 a and 5 in contact, and at the same time yieldingly tending to maintain the plates 7 and 5 in normal parallel relation since any rolling orrocking movement between plates7 and 5 will separate the centers of plates 7 and 5 and will hence contract the spring 10. spring 10 on the upper side of plate 7 and .the sixteen springs 8 between plates 7 and 5 will tend to maintain the plates 7 and 5 parallel while permitting substantially frictionless universal rocking or rolling movement of .plate. 7 on plate 5.

To further absorb shocks transmitted by frame 1 to the body 6, and also to yieldably maintain the body 6 in proper relation to frames 1, I provide springs 11 at the center and ends of the cross members 1 and 1' of frames 1, said springs bein interposed between the frames 1, l", and the front and Therefore rear ends of the Vehicle body as shown in Fig.1. The springs 11 are housed in loosely fitting telescoping sleeves 12 adapted to prevent side swing of the body with respect to side frames 1, due to its being mounted at the one'central point only on the chassis.

The mounting above described will tend to reduce vibration in the body because all the moving parts of the car can be supported upon the chassis frame, however the radiator, fenders, splash apron and running boards may be all fastened to the body frame.

' A special means may be employed to connect the radiator carried by the body frame with the motorcarried by the chassis so that the movement of the radiator with the body frame will not in any manner affectv its working. A like solution may be made of the steering arrangement, allowing for the movement of the body at the point where it comes in contact with the steering post with freedom of action and without sacrificing any stability of the steering arrangement.

The gas tank, spare tires, luggage carriers, etc., for carrying extra heavy loads on the car may be supported on the chassis frame and not upon the body frame, thereby again eliminating much rough riding and wear and tear due to a heavy load.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form. shown in the drawing for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a vehicle chassis, a vehicle body having an opening in its bottom, a. member mounted on the chassis having an upwardly bulged portion; a second member having a portion extending upwardly through the opening provided with a downwardly bulged portlon adapted to seat upon that of the first member; means on the second member adapted to support the body; means for normally yieldably maintaining the bulged portions of the members centered; and means for normally yieldably maintaining the body parallel with the chassis.

2. In combination, a vehicle chassis; a vefhicle body; said body having a centrally disvthe plates in parallel relation.

3. In combination, a vehicle chassis; a vehicle body said body having a centrally and axially disposed opening in its bottom; a plate mounted on the chassis and having an upwardly bulged partially spherical portion; a pan shaped member extending upwardly through the opening in the vehicle body and having a corresponding downwardl bulged partially spherical portion adapte to seat upon that of the plate; a peripheral flange around the lower portion of the pan shaped member adapted to underlie the adjacent portions of the vehicle body to support the same; means for yieldably maintaining the centers of the bulged portions of the two plates together while permitting universal rocking of one portion on the other; and a series of spaced springs interposed between the plates around the bulged portions for normally maintaining the plates in parallel relation.

FORD JOHNSTON. 

